MEN Media, publisher of the Manchester Evening News, is changing the way its newsroom operates, with the creation of an “editorial hub”.

The change has seen the removal of individual desks controlling news, features, business and pictures that are traditionally found in a newspaper newsroom.

Instead, each function is now carried out from the editorial hub to improve communication and the flow of information.

The MEN media portfolio includes the Manchester Evening News, more than 20 weekly titles, Channel M Television and website Manchester Online, and each of these are now represented on the hub.

The circular desk seats all members of the MEN news, sport, business, features and picture desks, and in addition alongside them are representatives from Channel M, the weekly papers and Manchester Online.

MEN assistant editor Ian Wood, who is responsible for implementing the convergent strategy, said this meant that everyone was able to be fully aware of what everyone else was planning.

The newsroom hub

The group says the move underpins its commitment to a convergent strategy in which journalists are expected to cross print and digital boundaries.

At the centre of the editorial hub is a decision-making core, and as a story comes in, a choice is made on the best way for it to be published.

This could mean writing a story for print or online, or filming video for Channel M or pictures or audio for the website.

By using the editorial hub, MEN Media can coordinate promotions and cascade stories across the different media in the group, which it says will enhance coverage for readers, viewers and users.

Ian in the newsroom hub

A recent example of this has been the story of ‘loophole lawyer’ Nick Freeman’s arrest, which the MEN was working on when it became apparent that the story would have broken by the time the paper hit the streets.

The decision was made to break the story on Channel M instead, and then cross-reference to the MEN by telling viewers that they could read more on the story in the next morning’s paper.